Hope Burns Bright
by sleepykit
Summary: What if Sasuke came back? Rayed T for mild suggestions of nudity. Sasuke and Naruto semipairing. Read and Review. Finished.
1. Day 1

By sleepykitten 

Obviously Naruto doesn't belong to me, so please don't eat me! Read and rate please. Eventually, it will have more Naruto characters in it, I promise.

Like a Flame, Hope Shines Brightest in the Darkness

Day 1

Naruto wasn't thinking about Sakura as he walked through the nearly empty hospital halls. He wanted to be gone from this quiet place as soon as he possibly could because, much as the teen hated to admit it, the place creeped him out. Still, he smiled and forced himself to go on, through the double doors and towards the large desk at the very end of the hall. Nervously, he ran a hand through his shoulder length blond curls.

He approached the desk and said cheerfully to a nurse, "I'm here as the new part-time volunteer on the order of Tsunade-sama."

The woman nodded and called out for Iruka, who emerged moments later from one of the many doors marked 'staff only'. The older man with short brown hair and a scar across his nose smiled ever so politely and offered Naruto a seat in one of the chairs in the waiting area just left of the desk. Iruka had this job for no better reason than that he liked people and enjoyed helping. He wore a typical medic's uniform.

Swallowing back nervousness, Naruto took a seat on one of the plastic chairs and looked at Iruka with simple sincerity written all over his face. Naruto was dressed in a pair of black jeans and an orange shirt that seemed to somehow match his golden hair. Eyes as blue as the sky, seemed to be perpetually smiling as he licked his lips and smiled uncertainly.

"I take it the hokage told you to come," Iruka said after a moment.

Naruto nodded and replied, "Yeah, she insisted. Because of him, I guess."

At nearly seventeen, Naruto was no child. He had grown used to being treated funny by adults, and while his dreams had not abated, he understood more now than he had as a child. He still wanted to be the leader of the leaf village when he grew up, but now he wanted to do so because he loved its people and because he had learned to forgive rather than hold grudges.

"I have to ask this, Naruto, but are you sure about this?" Iruka asked. "I know that he was your friend before, but things have changed since those days. He has changed"  
Naruto slipped his hands into his pockets and stood up. "I'm sure, more than ever now. Sakura was very adamant that she wouldn't come, and maybe she was right. Maybe sensei was right. I don't know. All I know for sure is that I can't just ignore the fact that Sasuke is back. Nor can I simply abandon him after going to such lengths to find him!"

"A lot has happened, as you can probably guess," Iruka said. "First, thus far, he hasn't spoken, so don't expect much there. As well, it has been decided by the counsil that should he fell up to an explanation, he will not be judged."

Naruto nodded. "I've been informed."

"Then come with me," Iruka said quietly.

Together, the two made their way further into the hospital, to the more heavily guarded wing of the building. Like most hospitals, this one was divided into different wards, and they were heading straight for the one where the worst of the worst were held. Several shinobi stood guard around that part of the facility day and night, and Naruto couldn't help but frown more when he saw them. He had no illusions about Sasuke, but at the same time, he remembered the thirteen year old boy when neither of them were that young anymore.

After five minutes worth of brisk walking, Iruka stopped and pointed to a door on his right. Naruto saw the number hanging neatly beside the thick, heavy door itself. Stepping close to the bulletproof window, he looked inside, both terrified and exhilarated. Iruka stepped back to give the younger boy some privacy and because he wanted to speak to the guards. Naruto could take care of himself, but his teacher would rather not have any excess trouble.

Sasuke lay on a rather comfortable bed, dark hair spilling all over the pillow. A blue blindfold covered his eyes and he was restrained with a straightjacket, and he looked like it really bothered him. He kept struggling against the tough fabric and writhing on the bed. Considering his legs were handcuffed to the base of the bed, the struggles were useless. Sasuke wore only a pair of gray, hospital pants and his blanket lay on the floor by the bed in a tangled mess.

"Can I go in?" Naruto asked softly.

"Sure," the doctor replied, unlocking the door. "You have an hour."

Quietly as he could, Naruto opened the door and slipped inside. For a moment, he just stood there, hands still on the doorframe, watching Sasuke. The black-haired young man had bee nscreaming before, but hearing someone enter, he stopped, knowing with some certainty who the visitor actually was. After a few moments, Naruto shook is head, clearing it, and stepped closer to his friend. He knelt by the bed, biting his lip a little uncertainly, and watched Sasuke for a moment.

"Hi," he said after a few moments of silence. "It's Naruto."

Sasuke remained silent, just as Naruto had expected. He'd been briefed before coming to the hospital, so he had no unfair expectations towards what would happen, but still he felt the need to come. Swallowing his own terror, Naruto sat down on the bed before Sasuke and picked up the blanket. Gently, he draped it over the other teen. Whereas Naruto looked strong and healthy, Sasuke looked like a malnourished, pale ghost of a person.

"And now that I'm here, I have nothing to say," Naruto said with a nervous laugh.

"Sorry…" Sasuke whispered.

Blinking in surprise, Naruto asked, "Don't be, on any account. The past cannot be changed."

Sasuke nodded once and sank back into the pillow. "It's been a while, hasn't it?"

Naruto nodded, then said, "Yeah, it has. Four years is quite a bit of time to be away"  
He wanted to say more, but what good would it do now? Sakura has already shed all her tears and moved on. The rest of ninja from the same year had moved on to become the best of the best, including Naruto. Life kept right on going even when Sasuke had been away, and even now it was still moving past them all. Biting his lips, Naruto thought about the past and knew for a fact that things would never be the same.

"Will you stay now?" Naruto asked.

"Hai," Sasuke replied. "Living in the past is terrible."

Naruto raised an eyebrow and asked, "What do you mean by that?"

Sasuke replied slowly, "What happened in those four years was terrible, and in the end, nothing was accomplished."

"Power tends to do that from what I've seen, but this is no different from what happened between the great Three. The only difference is that you came back where the snake did not." Naruto reached out and took off Sasuke blindfold. "If you want to talk, I'll listen."

The raven-haired boy nodded and smiled a little, obviously sleepy. "Tomorrow, will you come back?"

And Naruto replied, "Yeah, I will."

As soon as he left, Sasuke closed his eyes and slept peacefully for the first time in weeks.


	2. Day 2

I got a whole review. How cool! Anyway, a little bit more background and feelings. The next chapter should be better.

Day 2

Ino was probably the last person Sakura expected to see in tears. Ino was strong, perhaps not all the time, but with her team mates for support and her slowly growing potential, it was hard to believe just how much stronger she had become in the last four years. Sure, she still had her moments, but she had also focused both on her techniques and on the sanity of her own life.

"What's the matter?" Sakura asked when she saw the blond-haired girl sitting at the ramen shop in tears.

Sakura couldn't help but wonder if he was the reason for it all. The arrival of the missing nin and his actions left much to be desired, namely answers. She settled down beside the other girl and smiled at Ino a little sadly. Pulling a lock of bright pink hair out of her eyes, Sakura sighed.

"You know about him, don't you?" she asked.

Ino nodded and regarded her best friend evenly. "Doesn't it bother you?"

Sakura released a breath she'd been holding. "No, not really. I thought it would, especially since we were friends, but in the end, he IS a traitor. No matter what Naruto feels, Sasuke committed crimes against this village and against innocent people. In the world of the ninja, that is unforgivable."

"How can you say that?" Ino asked.

"How can you not?" Sakura retaliated. "Do you just take him at face value and say he was innocent. He was fourteen when he left, not two. He should've known better! Better by far!"

"Aren't we all allowed our mistakes?"

Sakura shrugged. "As a medic, I see a lot of people who are dying, who have been hurt. People who have done nothing wrong save that they were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Those who hurt them are criminals. What makes Sasuke any better?"

Ino sighed and looked down at her food, not sure what to say. Sakura was a young woman with potential and with a lot going for her. Training under the most well-know medic in the land, Sakura had excelled far beyond expectations. Her fighting skills still weren't up to par, but her healing skills were amazing. Reaching out, Ino took Sakura's hand in her own.

"It bothers you, too..."

"Yeah," Sakura said softly, looking at the floor. "Yeah, it does."

They were about to get up and go when Naruto happened past. Well, not happened exactly. Naruto and ramen were one and the same most days, and this little shop was the boy's favorite. He stopped by at least twice a week, and he was actually starting to learn how to cook the same type of ramen in his free time. Seeing the girls, Naruto waved politely.

"How was it?" Ino asked anxiously.

Naruto shrugged and stuck his hands in his pockets. "I promised I'd come back today."

Sakura smiled wanly and looked at the ground while Ino seemed to be deep in thought. Naruto looked at the two girls with their tear-stained faces and wondered what it would come to, in the end. Sasuke had vanished from their lives four years ago, briefly reappeared about a year back, and then returned, for good. Or so Naruto hoped. All of them hoped that.

"You should bring him flowers," Ino suggested.

Naruto shook his head. "I don't think...that's such a great idea."

"Why not?" Sakura asked, confusion clear in her voice.

"Go see him," Naruto replied. "I think you'll understand after that."

With that said, Naruto made his way down the streets and towards Konoha hospital, whistling a little. He wasn't happy to be going, but at least he wasn't as upset as the girls had been. Funny how one single person could turn a village inside out and upside down simply by existing.

Naruto had accepted his feelings for Sasuke, love mixed with anger and frustration, in the time the two were apart. He could not deny that he had grown used to Sasuke and had respected him to some extent. He also knew that while he would get married some day in the future, it would probably not be to a female. Or if it was, he had yet to meet her.

---

Naruto arrived at Sasuke's room at around noon. Outside the sun was shining and the day promised to be warm with just a hint of a breeze. In the hospital it was quiet and smelled of disinfectants and medications. Naruto looked into the small room with its soft walls and single bed and couldn't help but shiver.

Sasuke was quiet today. Where he had been fighting yesterday, today he lay still, resting perhaps, and Naruto didn't want to disturb him at first. It took a few minutes before he could muster enough enthusiasm to step into the room and still have a smile on his face. Not that Sasuke could see it, of course, but Naruto didn't care.

"I came back," he said softly, sitting on the floor beside Sasuke's bed.

The raven-haired boy struggled up into more of a sitting position, head turned toward Naruto even though he couldn't see the boy. The blindfold was back, but to Sasuke it was almost reassuring. It placed a barrier between him and the world outside. Naruto helped him sit and then leaned up against the soft wall.

"Thank you," Sasuke said.

"I guess this will be your story, then?" Naruto asked.

"Hai. It will."


	3. Day 2 Part II

After the fight with Naruto, Sasuke had made his way to Orochimaru's hideout, knowing that he was leaving behind everything he had ever known and called home. For the first few days, he didn't even miss his friend, team seven, or his home. Fir the first few days, he had the resolve to move forward and grow strong, so that he could kill his own brother. That one single goal clouded all the rest of his existence.

Several months into the torture that Orochimaru called training, Sasuke had started to really mourn what he had lost. By then, it was far too late to go back, not to mention that he was constantly under surveillance and had no easy way of escaping. His cell had become his own prison, and what bothered Sasuke most was that he had agreed to it so willingly.

Every day Sasuke practiced in the training area and focused on his chakra. The day Orochimaru and Kabuto came to visit was no different from any of the other days, save that they'd come. The snake-man didn't look quite like himself, although Sasuke had no idea why at the time, and Kabuto was ass-kissing, as usual.

"You've progressed quite a bit," Orochimaru said after watching Sasuke for a few minutes.

"I want to become strong enough to kill Itachi. That's all there is to it!"

Orochimaru nodded and said, "You will."

From that day forth, it all blurred into a seemingly endless cycle of training, sleeping, and then training more. Sasuke lived with it and accepted it but never failed to miss his friends or hate his brother. Three years and went without much change and no relief from the darkness. For those three years, Sasuke learned to stew and think for days at a time, to hold grudges, and to hate. He was vaguely aware that the other people under Orochimaru hated and despised him, and he shared the same feelings towards them. But in part, he also failed to care.

One night, Sasuke had stayed up later than usual, practicing a new technique, and Kabuto found him there, in the training room, half asleep. The medic nin with his silver hair and unreadable eyes, hidden behind a pair of glasses, seemed less than surprised as he approached and kicked the raven-haired boy.

"Get up. He's waiting for you!" Kabuto said emotionlessly.

Dragging himself up off the floor, Sasuke followed Kabuto, cursing under his breath. They wandered through dark halls, into an area that Sasuke had not even been aware of. Eventually Kabuto stopped, and grabbing, Sasuke's arm, pulled him forward. Sasuke stumbled, then caught himself and looked around.

There were all sorts of vials and jugs on the table beside him. Farther in the distance, sat the snake-man. He was glaring at Sasuke and licked his lips as the boy drew closer. For a moment longer, the two stared at each other, and then Orochimaru smiled a cruel smile and motioned for Kabuto to leave.

"You know why you're here, correct?" he asked Sasuke.

The raven nodded slightly, and Orochimaru went on. "Today is the day. With your sharingan and my techniques, your brother will go down. No need to worry there. And, I promise you'll be there to witness the excitement. Your body looks so delicious…"

Orochimaru's tongue reached out and licked one of Sasuke's ears. It was only then that Sasuke really realized what was about to happen. Fear gripped him, and he was about as close to panic as he had ever come. The snake man approached and put his hands on Sasuke's shoulders, still grinning.

Backing away, Sasuke formed the seals for a fire jitsu, then turned and ran. Orochimaru went after him, and so did Kabuto, but fear is one great motivator. Tired as he was, Sasuke still managed to outrun them for a moment. He took turns hiding and running through the maze that was Orochimaru's base. By almost pure accident, he reached day light.

Shielding his eyes from a sun he hadn't seen in three years, he made his way up a tree, then ran again as fast as he dared through the foliage. Before long, though, he grew too tired to move and collapsed, falling off the branch he was on and into a shallow stream. He hit his head on a sharp rock and saw his own blood in the water as the stream carried him away.

Orochimaru had already sent his minions after Sasuke, and the raven didn't stand a chance. His skin burned from exposure to the sun, and he was both fatigued and hungry. Only sheer luck kept him alive for the next few hours. He was found by a rather unlucky boy who had been playing with paper boats and dragged home to the boy's mother.

Sasuke didn't remember too much after that. He was pretty sure at least a few weeks passed, but not how much time or what had happened. All he knew for a fact was that he awoke one morning to birds chirping and a woman kneeling over him. Less than ten minutes later, he had left the house and resumed his trek, afraid that if he stayed anywhere, Orochimaru would find him again.

For reasons no one would truly know, he blamed all of his misfortunes on himself and Itachi. He wandered through the forests, not quite himself and not quite willing to understand what had happened. Because of the concussion and aided by Sasuke's own confusion, he really was struggling to make sense of what was happening and to remember where to go and what to do. Instinct took over, and it had taken a near miracle for the ANBU team to catch him and bring him back.

---

"Wow," Naruto said softly, stroking Sasuke's forehead. "No wonder things went a little crazy once you got back. You should've told someone sooner, you know."

Sasuke seemed to think for a moment. "I couldn't…before…"

"Yeah, well, it's all on tape, and Old Granny isn't going to hold a grudge against you," Naruto said with a smile. "But you should rest now. Tomorrow will be a new day."

"Itachi?" Sasuke made that single word a question.

Naruto chewed on his lip for a moment. "We have no idea where he went or what happened. Jyriah was going to go find out, but he's an old pervert so I doubt he'll find anything useful. Except girls…"

Sasuke leaned back and relaxed, looking like he would fall asleep again. Softly he muttered something about love before the boat to dreamland came and took him away. Naruto kissed his forehead and then left the room, heading straight for the hokage's office.


	4. Day 3

I promise that later on, all the separate stories will make more sense. But right now, they are just snippets of life around Konoha.

Thank you much for the reviews. runs around all hyper

Day 3

Shikamaru returned from one of the more dangerous missions in his career as a ninja only four days after Sasuke's return. Having brought back the information needed to prevent more deaths in the land of the Water, he wasn't proud of himself or anything. Instead, he came into Konoha with his eyes up in the sky, watching clouds go by.

Temari was waiting for him at the gates, an apparently exasperated look on her face. "You're late!"

The dark-haired man with a sweet face looked at his girlfriend and winced a little, knowing that for all her love, she still had a temper well worth mentioning. Temari, with her blondish hair down for a change, reached out pulled Shikamaru's hair out of its usual ponytail. For a moment, they managed to even hug each other before pulling apart. Shikamaru had blood on his usually spotless uniform and his eyes looked tired and so much older.

Time, for him, had been one giant lesson about being leader and about being strong. He rarely failed at his missions and of all the teams, his usually took the least damage. But, nonetheless, Shikamaru was still human. And he had fallen in love, in his own way, with Temari. Apparently whatever arrangement they'd chosen worked out for both of them.

"It was a troublesome mission," the boy explained.

Temari nodded. "So I heard. Welcome back. For the bad news of the day, Sasuke's back."

Shikamaru paused for a moment, and then looked at Temari with obvious love in his eyes. "The hokage informed me. I suppose Naruto is happy."

"No, not really, from what Ino said when I spoke to her this morning," Temari replied, grabbing Shikamaru's hand. "Anyway, come with me. We're celebrating tonight. And, uh, I have some news for you after that. Better get drunk first."

As Temari dragged him away, Shikamaru couldn't help but whisper, "How troublesome…"

Shikamaru had no idea that scroll he had just delivered to the hokage was actually a powerful curse. No one but the person who made it would've known. What was worse, in many ways, was that the curse was devious and cunning. And more than that, it had been created to take one single person over the edge.

---

Meanwhile, Naruto was wandering about the hokage's office in search of a very specific file. He saw the scroll on her desk and looked at with interest. After a moment, he decided that it would be a wonderful idea to open it and see what's inside. Reaching down, he picked up the large scroll and found the seal.

"Old Granny won't mind," he said to himself.

Slowly, he pulled open the scroll and a bright light flashed through the room. Knocked back by a force he couldn't see, Naruto landed by the farther wall from the scroll and lay there, moaning a little in pain. Spots floated before his eyes and everything hurt, from head to toe. He groaned and lifted his head up.

"What the hell!" Naruto muttered and looked about.

The scroll lay on the floor innocently, as if nothing had happened. It was only partially open, and even then, Naruto could just about feel the nastiness coming from it. Inside him, the demon stirred long enough to mention that he shouldn't get any closer. Then it fell back into its slumber.

"Just like it to come and go," Naruto muttered as he pulled himself up into a standing position.

He was about to say more when he noticed the letters on the scroll. The first couple spelled out Sasuke's name, but after that, the rest seemed to be swirling on the paper. Something about death, Naruto thought as he jumped through an open window and towards the hospital.

"Not good at all!"

---

The Fifth Hokage was busy beyond words, but she still took time to visit the patients at the Konoha hospital and do her healing wherever she could. She was old and slowly growing older, no matter what her body looked like; she knew it, too. Soon now, she would choose another person to take over for her and go live a much more peaceful life somewhere quiet. Right now, though, life wasn't giving her that option.

That morning she was working with Sakura on patient with mild burns. Sakura was doing remarkably well for a student of only fours years. She was already as skilled and proficient in the art as many of the older medics, but she still had the youthful belief that she could help and so did that much more and struggled that much harder to succeed.

Tsunade was about to leave when one of the medics caught her at the doors. "Ma'am?"

"Yes?" Tsunade said quietly.

"It's _him_!" The nurse paled quite a bit. "He's had a seizure, and it nothing like we've ever seen, ma'am. It just happened ten minutes ago or so, but it hasn't stopped since, and it seems to be getting worse.

Tsunade nodded and went to look at the patient, having a sinking feeling that trouble with Orochimaru was not quite over yet. As she approached the room where Sasuke lay, she felt the presence of something very disturbing nearby. Looking are anxiously, the woman with long blond hair could barely hold herself in check.

She stepped into the room where Sasuke was sleeping and found him surrounded by creatures that looked like something out of a nightmare. Rotting flesh hung on pearly white bones, and crimson eyes stared down at Sasuke as if to devour him. Even blindfolded, the raven-haired boy still trying to get away. He could feel them coming closer.

"Stop right there!" Tsunade said loudly.

One of the monsters looked at her, and the hokage stepped back, terror written all over her face. Only moments later Naruto rushed into the room, saw the monsters, and within milliseconds found himself knocked out and slumped against the wall for the second time that day. Sasuke was crying out, but no one could get to him yet.

…. How Troublesome.


	5. Day 3 Part II

Recap: Sasuke returns and is placed in the Konoha Hospital where Naruto and he talk. Meanwhile, Shikamaru returns from a mission with a scroll that he has found. The scroll turns out to be a curse meant for Sasuke, and Naruto accidentally activates it. Monsters attack Sasuke at the hospital. Naruto shows up at the hospital and is knocked out.

Today's Date 06.10.06

Day 3 Part II

Naruto recovered from his fall and jumped into action, head first. Four years or training and he still acted like a reckless bull, if somewhat more organized. He and his shadows copies fought off the rotting corpses and before long, Tsunade sealed them all again, back into whatever hell they'd crawled out of.

"Looks like something the Snake Man would do," Naruto commented as he knelt beside Sasuke. "Shikamaru brought a scroll back from his mission. I saw it on your desk so I opened it. It has Sasuke's name on it."

After freeing the raven-haired boy from his restraints, Naruto simply stood beside the bed, looking at the remains of the corpses uncertainly. Now that they were gone, everyone could see the carnage. Sakura approached, since she volunteered to work at the hospital part time, and she winced at the sight.

Tsunade blinked. "I doubt Shikamaru would've done it on purpose."

"I don't think so either. According to his report, the scroll had been found just outside the facility they'd infiltrated and he thought you might be interested."

Naruto looked at Sasuke and offered a reassuring sort of smile. Sasuke rose and looked down at the monsters' remains. They could've hurt his friend and badly. Things could've been much, much worse. Today they'd all gotten lucky, but what about tomorrow?

"I'll go back and look at that spell," the old woman said quietly. "Take Sasuke home and get him some normal clothes, please. Sasuke, hospital gowns are not your style."

"Yes, Granny."

"Yes, ma'am."

Sakura blushed but said, "I'm coming, too. We need to talk to the others about this. If Orochimaru is going to send people after Sasuke we need to be prepared for the worst."

For once Naruto applied three brain cells to the task. "He will want Sasuke alive, since he is planning to transfer his mind into the Uchha's body."

"How far will he go?" Sakura asked.

Sasuke cringed. "As far as he needs to. The village may be better off if I go back."

Tsunade shook her head. "This time we make a stand. Orochimaru will not stop after he gets his hands on you. Whatever his plans, he will not simply stop at this. I hate to say this against a fellow ninja, but this has got to stop. Across the land, we've been getting reports of him crushing opposing clans and worse. When did the shy boy turn into a madman?"

"Shy boy?" This from Sakura.

"Yeah, he was once."

Turning away, she walked purposefully down the hall.

* * *

Kakashi showed up late to Naruto's place, as usual. This time, though, he had no fancy excuse, no half-assed explanation. He had been busy with missions on top of the duty of training another team, and to add to it, he had been one of the team to find Sasuke. Honestly, he would rather forget the boy's screaming that night. 

He knocked and was let in by Sakura.

"Hello, sensei," she said.

Naruto and Sasuke were sitting by the window. As usual, Naruto had a bowl of ramen in his hands, but then so did his teammate. The raven was staring out the window, enjoying the feel of the sunlight on his pale face. Nearly four years of darkness total had been too much.

"Where's your book, Kakashi? Or has the Old Man been too busy with girls to write another novel?"

Kakashi laughed. "I left it at home for this."

Which showed just how shaken up their teacher really was. The four stared at each other for a moment before Naruto shrugged.

"So, now we rest and relax?" he said.

"Not with Orochimaru out there," Sakura protested.

She was trying not to cling to Sasuke, not to check up on him every couple of seconds. He looked pale and tired, but with only sunburn in the way injuries. Currently he was dressed in a pair of black pants and white shirt, devoid of his usual symbol. Naruto had shirts that fit the raven but nothing with his family crest on them.

"You three are not allowed out of the village until this is over," Kakashi warned them.

Naruto nodded. "We know."

Sasuke spoke, for the first time since arriving at Naruto's home. "Can we afford to just sit here?"

"Sasuke-kun, you're not well enough yet to do anything!"

Naruto and Sasuke both gave their female team mate the Look. For once, they actually agreed, not that they'd have much to disagree on nowadays. Sasuke was glad to be back in the village, among people he at least knew, and hell, he thought he might actually get to like Naruto one day. At least he wasn't going to tease anymore. That was one thing he had grown out of.

For now, it was peaceful and quiet. For now.

"What? As a medic, I'm right."

Naruto sighed. "In this case, being well is not the end of the story. Regardless of how Sasuke is feeling today, tomorrow he could be Snake Man's puppet. Think about it."

"Yeah, I know. I keep wishing..."

"We all do," Kakashi said. "We all wish can just forget the past and move on, but from experience, that's not how it works. Orochimaru will not leave us alone until he has what he wants. And we have no do everything to protect both Sasuke and this village. Surrendering either one is not an option. That's why we're ninja, not merchants or farmers. We are a team, team seven. Bot beyond that, all the nin are a team. Even apart, we work together."

Sasuke nodded. "For Tsunade to succeed in keeping this village safe--and everyone in it--safe, she is going to need the best from all of us. Our physical and emotional problems are going to have to wait."

"We're all in this mess together, Sakura. All of us." Naruto grinned. "We'll win. You know it."

"And if we don't?"

"We will. I promised you once to bring Sasuke back, but turns out he came all on his own. Now we promise each other that we will survive and we will."

"All right." Sakura bowed. "All right."

After that, everyone but Sasuke left. They had homes to go to, people they loved. The Uchiha compound still existed, but Sasuke didn't want to go there. He hadn't abandoned his dreams of growing stronger than his brother, but he had left the horror behind. His family had died, but he lived on and he wanted to preserve their memories, the happy ones.

Naruto finished his ramen and put the bowl into the sink. "Want to talk?" he asked.

Sasuke blinked and nodded. "Hai. Yes. I want to show you a technique."

"Really? What kind?"

Sasuke laughed and said, "It's not really all that good for battle, but you might like it."

The rest of the night was spent with the two of them sitting on pillows on the floor and creating little, tiny burns in the low-set table with Sasuke's new trick. Like his flame attack, this used fire, but the point was precision, something Naruto still struggled with. How strange it was to see, two boys who had been rivals, sitting together as friends.

* * *

Orochimaru had sent his spies and they knew what had happened in the village. Problem was that the village was on alert and that the best of the best were guarding both Naruto and Sasuke. The best of the best rarely made mistakes, and one could sit for months waiting for any of them to falter.

* * *

Meanwhile, somewhere totally different Itachi was just about ready to get his hands on the demon fox that rested not so peacefully inside Naruto. He had plans, grand plans. He was also planning a strike on Orochimaru.

* * *

Okay, so that's this chapter. Sorry it took me ages to get it out, but it's here now. I know that the manga takes a totally different approach, but keep in mind that I started this story before I knew what was going to happen, so this will diverge from that. Sorry. 


	6. Day 3 Part III

Side note: Longer chapters ahead with some Naruto x Sasuke and then it's off to fight Orochimaru.

Date 06.11.06

Day 3 Part III

At this point in his life, Sasuke wasn't one to disobey rules. When Naruto told him to stay put and left for the grocery story at nine in the evening, the raven haired teen had simply settled down beside the open window and watched the moon and stars in the night sky. A cool breeze floated in through the open window, and chilled the hot room,. Especially in the midst of summer, it felt good, really good. He closed his eyes and leaned against the wall beside the open window, remembering and reminiscing about the past and the future.

_He had not agreed to the mission assigned to him by Orochimaru, but Kabuto had made it clear that he didn't have a choice. The silver-haired man had his ways of making himself heard, drugs among them, and Sasuke had not wanted to be drugged, just in case. So, he had listened to the Snake Man's orders and did as he was told. _

_Funny how Orochimaru, for all his insanity, had the power to teach Sasuke how to obey orders, without question._

_He went down to the holding cells that night with Kabuto. He hated that creepy place far below ground where Orochimaru held his prisoners and experimental subjects. All of them had been lured there by petty feelings, but now, it hardly mattered. Despite the sheer numbers, it was deathly quiet. Even the occasional moan drew stares from other cells._

_"Let's start with this one and go around," Kabuto said conversationally._

_As far Sasuke was concerned, conversational Kabuto equaled trouble in its many forms. "All right."_

_Kabuto opened the first cell door and let Sasuke inside. "Bring me the women first."_

_Sasuke had stepped into the cold, stone room that house maybe fifteen people and looked around. Angry, defiant stares met his gaze, but there was also fear. He knew that his eyes were glowing red and his Sharingan fully active, but despite that, he was afraid. Spotting the first female in the bunch he walked over._

_"Come with me."_

_The woman had shaken her head and backed away._

_"Come with me," he repeated. _

_Finally, she rose and followed him mutely out. No one else dared say anything, but Sasuke kept expecting them to. He could almost touch their anger as he walked out of the cell. Kabuto was waiting._

_He grabbed the woman, barely out of childhood really, and stabbed her arm with a syringe full of something liquid and yellow. She screamed. Sasuke would never forget that scream for as long as he lived. Pale hair flew all over the place as she began to thrash around, cursing in some language the ninja didn't know._

_Finally, she collapsed onto the ground and lay there, twitching._

_"What just happened?"_

_Kabuto smiled. "I'm testing a new poison. Obviously it still has a few flaws."_

_"Poison?"_

_"Of course. What else do you think I was going to do, give them a check up? Orochimaru, of course, didn't want you to know." He turned to Sasuke. "You're too soft hearted. How do you plan to kill your brother if you feel sorry for every person you meet."_

_Sasuke remembered his mother then, telling him to be nice to people. Her smiling face floated before him, and he saw it in every woman he had to bring to Kabuto. It haunted him all the way back to his own room. _

_When he lay down to sleep that night, he thought of Sakura and her love for people. Maybe this hadn't been the right path after all?_

Naruto snapped Sasuke out of his daydream when he stepped through the door and announced loudly, "I got you something besides ramen. Come look!"

"Why are you doing all this, Naruto?" Sasuke stood up and walked over to his friend.

Naruto shrugged and replied, "Because I always knew you'd come back. And while we're rivals and best friends, I never want us to be enemies. Ninja have to kill their own sometimes. I never want that to happen to team seven."

Sasuke smiled and looked at the food, then helped Naruto put the stuff away. "You believe in me more than I believe in myself."

"Weren't you always arrogant?"

Sasuke shook his head. "Orochimaru let me see the world in a different light, as well as the curse."

"Is it still there?"

"Yes," Sasuke answered. "It has to be, for Orochimaru to do his magic trick."

"Wonderful." Naruto pulled out a glass and filled it with milk.

He was about to take a sip when three ninja jumped in through the open window. All three were dressed in black pants, white shirts, and wore those ridiculous, purple bows on their backs. Somewhere in the back of his mind Naruto wondered if their outfits made them feel fat. Both he and Sasuke took defensive stances.

"We're just here for him," one of the sound nin said, pointing at Sasuke.

Naruto shook his head and immediately formed the seals for his shadows replication technique. Ten or so versions of Naruto poofed into the room and formed a wall between the ninja and the raven haired teen. They fought.

Or more precisely, the clones fought against creatures they could never hope to match. After years of training, the clones didn't die after the first hit, but they weren't bullet proof either. Within a few seconds, the three sound ninja had gotten through the defenses.

Only to be blasted by a powerful ball of glowing blue-red energy and the crackling static power of the Chidori. Two of the three assailants flew straight out the window. The third made a valiant effort against Naruto, but damn the kid was hard to kill. Between the fox's healing abilities and Naruto's inner determination, it took more than the ninja could give. He soon joined his two partners.

Problem was, that woke up half the neighborhood, including, of course, plenty of ninjas. The three assailants never saw the end of that commotion in one piece. Naruto turned to see Sasuke restrained by a man. Clearly the teen was struggling, but it wasn't helping. Naruto felt like strangling someone.

He lunged at the attacker, and between him and Sasuke, they were able to subdue him, just barely. Sasuke had a nice long, bleeding cut to show for it, as well as poison in his system. And Naruto, well being Naruto, he was just pissed.

The ANBU came through next, like silent butterflies. One moment they were there. The next they and the last of the sound nin were gone. Sasuke waved at the window before examining the latest addition to his collection of cuts and bruises. He sighed and sat down on the wooden floor of the room, looking up at Naruto.

"That woke people up."

Naruto nodded. "And they stood up for you. Says something good about the villagers. Are you okay?"

"I think so," Sasuke replied. "It's only a cut."

Naruto took a look and nodded. "I think they did more, though, because you look paler than usual. And you're usually pretty much in the death department in terms of skin color."

Sasuke had just enough time to nod before he collapsed into unconsciousness. Naruto looked at the clock, which proved that it was past midnight, and grimaced. He knew that Sasuke would wake up again, since no one wanted him dead yet, but he wasn't sure when or how. Carefully, he dragged the boy over his mattress and covered him with a blanket before calling out into thin air.

"Sasuke is going to need a doctor."

A voice answered, "I'll get the hokage."

"Thanks."

Naruto settled down beside the bed and watched his friend sleep. Sasuke looked more innocent when he was asleep somehow. By the time Tsunade arrived, Naruto was sleeping as well, curled up beside Sasuke, protective of the other boy's injury.

"Guess I made the right decision," she said to herself as she checked both boys over.

A leaf ninja appeared beside her and said, "Reports indicate that the nin were not acting alone. We expect more trouble and soon."

"Of course."

"Hokage, we have also identified the source of the recent troubles to the east. It's Itachi, and we have good reason to believe that he is heading straight for Naruto."

"Between a rock and a hard place?"

"Yes, ma'am." The nin sighed. "We've called back as many as we can so we are more prepared, but these will be trying times."

The woman sighed, her blond hair falling into her eyes for a moment. "We can only hope that in the confusion, we come out in one piece. Begin the preparations for a war because that is what's coming."

The man nodded. "Will do. You should speak to the people. Tell them that the war is not for Sasuke alone, or for any one person. Tell them the truth. Tell Naruto the truth."

"That his father died because ninja can't get along? I read the Third's records, and Naruto does not need to live with that kind of hatred."

The man nodded again. "He wants to fulfill his father's legacy even if he doesn't know it."

"He does, and right now he acting much the same way as the Fourth would have."

"What about Sasuke?"

Tsunade sighed. "A drug has been injected into his system. He'll be out of it or confused for the next few days, as well as very tired, but he should be all right soon enough. Tell Naruto when he wakes up, if he doesn't find my note."

"Yes, ma'am."

She left. Just like that, the famous medic known throughout the land, jumped out the second story window and was gone. It was past midnight, by then, on a rather normal day in comparison to those yet to come.

* * *

vlissan: Your wish is my command. 

sigh - I really should spend time with my husband instead of doing this...


	7. Day 4

Side Note: There is some mention of two guys liking each other in this chapter. If this bothers you, please don't read it.

Date 06.12.06

Day 4

Naruto awoke slowly, as if surfacing from dreamland onto the shores of reality. Blinking the sleep out of his eyes, he looked around the room, still not fully aware of the situation. He found himself on a mattress, curled up next to a handsome, breathtakingly beautiful young man. Despite the years spent apart, Naruto was sure that he liked the boy beside him.

Blushing at the thought, but also open minded enough not to toss it out the window, he sat up and stretched, enjoying the warmth of the sun on his tanned skin. It was a morning like most others, peaceful with the birds chirping their summer songs and the sky pure blue with specks of white in the distance. He looked down at Sasuke again and ran a hand down the sleeping boy's cheek. God, Sasuke was pale, but he knew the reason for that. Now, someone just needed to wipe that reason off the face of the Earth.

Naruto rose slowly and stumbled into the living room of his apartment. Carnage met his practical gaze. All four of his chairs were broken and lay haphazardly all over the place. The table had been turned over, and a crack ran down its middle like a jagged lightening bolt. The pictures of Sakura and Sasuke had fallen off the wall, and one of the frames was cracked. He surveyed the situation and decided to clean up before Sasuke awoke.

He cringed at the sheer mess but spent a few minutes cleaning up the worst of the damage. As he worked, he found a small note attached to the wall by the kitchen window. Pulling it off, he turned it over a few times before reading it to himself.

"Hey, Naruto, it's Granny Tsunade here." Naruto scratched his head and went on. "Your friend will be okay, but he won't be able to move for a few days. He might start hallucinating as well if the drugs are potent enough. Don't panic and try to restrain him as best as you can. I'll send Sakura to check up on you both later this afternoon. Be good."

"The Fifth speaks. Err, writes." Naruto commented to himself. "She of the Ageless Masks."

He went back into the bedroom and sat down on the bed beside Sasuke, wanting nothing more than to spend the rest of his life like this. "Wake up, sleepy head."

Sasuke opened his eyes slowly and blinked up at Naruto, at first confused about his surroundings. Instinctively, his hand reached for the blonde's, and the pale-haired teen didn't complain. Placing his other hand under Sasuke, he helped the teen sit up. All this happened in silence because Naruto didn't know what to say and Sasuke wasn't up the task of speaking just yet.

Finally, though, he said, "You need a bath. One of the ANBU left you some clothes more in your size, but still, shower first! Nothing like soap to wash Orochimaru's influence right out of you!"

Sasuke blushed at the thought and whispered, "All right."

"This is going to get embarrassing isn't it." Naruto bit his lip. "Didn't think about that. I have a very bad tendendy not think..."

A wan smile appeared on Sasuke's lips. "I won't tell if you won't."

"I like you, just so you know, as a more than just a friend," Naruto said softly, looking at the floor. "Feel free to totally ignore that. I won't push or anything. Just letting you know in advance."

Sasuke blinked and leaned against Naruto, feeling tired. "I like you, too. Let's just save the hard stuff for when this is all over."

"Hard stuff?" Naruto paused. "I thought this was the hard part."

"Liking someone is easy, but getting people to understand that is much harder." Sasuke closed his eyes for a moment and sighed.

And then Naruto did what he was known so well for. He plunged in, just like he did on the battlefield and in training. He didn't think, didn't plan, and didn't give it a moment's second thought. He just wrapped his arms around his best friend and lifted him up into his arms. Careful as ever, Naruto carried Sasuke into the bathroom and sat him down on the floor, then started the water running.

Naruto was many things, but not especially shy. Over the years, he'd realized that if he didn't believe in himself, no one else was going to believe in him. And with the fox for a legacy, that seemed truer than ever.

While the small room warmed up, Naruto helped Sasuke undress. Given the raven's condition, Naruto did most of the work and Sasuke just helped by sitting still. He had stopped blushing by then and had simply fallen into the comfort of knowing that only they had to know. Only Sasuke knew how Naruto felt and how confused it made him feel.

Once he'd gotten off Sasuke's clothes off him, he looked over his handiwork, proud. The clothes lay neatly on the floor beside the pale boy, who had his knees up and his arms wrapped around them. He looked like he hadn't eaten enough in ages. Shyly, Sasuke uncurled his body and put one hand in the rising warm water.

"If it makes you feel any better, Naruto, I'm just as confused," Sasuke said softly as they waited for the tub to fill.

"Funny thing is, I never felt this way around Sakura," Naruto whispered as he undressed as well and pulled a couple of towels out of the closet beside the bathroom door. "Yeah, I liked her, but never like this..."

Sasuke shrugged, not sure what he could say. Naruto had always been different, but he'd gone after Sakura when they were younger, and the dark haired boy had never seen any indication that Naruto had other preferences. He was sitting down, leaning up against a wall, with one hand in the water. Totally naked, he still felt very warn inside the now humid room. He realized with a laugh that he'd completely forgotten what this felt like. Looking at Naruto again, he smiled.

"For today, pretend it's a wonderful dream, and should we both survive this, we can discuss the details."

Naruto grinned, picked up Sasuke and nearly dropped him into the tub, then splashed into the water himself. He presented Sasuke with a rubber ducky and then found one for himself. For a while longer, there was time for laughter, for the comfort of the moment. Just for another moment, they were allowed to be the children again.

Naruto helped Sasuke wash up after they were done trying to sink themselves in knee deep water. Picking up a sponge, he put soap on it. Sitting up so that Sasuke could lean against him, Naruto gently began running the warm, soft sponge along his friend's chest and arms. The other sighed in pleasure and leaned back with his head on the blonde's shoulder.

"I missed hot baths," he said softly.

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "No hot water in Orochimaru's castle?"

"Nope," Sasuke replied. "Want me to do your back?"

"Sure."

When they were done washing and the water started to cool down, Naruto let the water drain and wrapped his raven in a giant towel. His Sasuke. No one else's. It was weird to think that, when only days before, Sasuke was unreachable, as distant as the stars. Shivering, he dried himself and then decided it was time. As soon as they got out, someone was bound to find them.

"Okay, so I admit it. I like you. Well, I have for a while, I guess." Naruto bit his lip, but he wasn't one to let embarrassment stop him. "I always thought it was just friendship, and it was that, too."

It occurred to Naruto right then that he had been the butt of many jokes and that he had been embarrassed countless times. Ultimately, though, he never let something like that separate him from his goals. Now that he knew that he liked Sasuke and that the raven wasn't pissed at him for it, all the rest was piece of cake.

Sasuke smiled, clinging to the towel. "Again, I know how you feel. When we were first placed into the same team, I kept noticing the little details. The color of your hair, the way it shines in the light, the smiles, and the masks. You never seemed like the type, though?"

Naruto blinked. "At first I thought you were a prick, and then later, by the time I found out what it all meant, you left with the four from sound."

Sasuke nodded. "A stupid mistake on my part. Killing my brother is one thing. Selling my soul to the devil is another."

"Um, what about you, Sasuke? Who do you like? I mean, you spent a long time away from here. Did you meet anyone special?"

Sasuke shook his head. "I like you, and no, I never really spent time with other people."

"Are you sure? I mean, I know that Kakashi and Iruka are pretty much inseparable unless they are both kept busy, but those two are in a world of their own. No one else is allowed inside."

"Very sure, Naruto. Like I said, if we both survive this, we can both go looking for the future. Maybe there's one out there for us, somewhere."

"Assuming Sakura doesn't kill us both before then. I bet she doesn't see me as a potential rival for your affections." Naruto grinned.

Sasuke shook his head. "Sakura has Lee."

"She does at that. You know, I nearly ended up fighting with Lee."

"You're still alive?"

Naruto laughed as he helped Sasuke get dressed again, slowly sliding the clothes over soft skin. "Lee's good, and we fought hand to hand, without any techniques, but he is human."

"Whereas you carry a demon fox inside," Sasuke said with a grin.

"How'd you know?"

"I figured it out after our last battle," Sasuke replied, managing to stand with Naruto's assistance. "That's why people in town never really liked you, huh?"

"Tsunade said that my father died because of the fox, but that he was really brave," Naruto whispered. "She went and looked at the records for me, after I bugged her for days on end, and finally, she came out with the answer."

"Do you know your dad's name?"

"No, but I have a feeling I know who he was. What I can't figure out is why no one was willing to tell me from the start. What exactly do they think they are protecting?"

As the two teens stepped into the living room, Sasuke said between gasps for air, "My guess... they didn't... know."

"And the Third wanted to protect me from the thought that the demon fox is the murderer of my family. How helpful..." Naruto shook his head and let Sasuke down on the floor in the kitchen. "What do you want for breakfast?"

Seeing Sasuke get tired from about a twenty step walk put in perspective just how powerful drugs could be. The bug guy, Shino, always went on about that, and of course, Kabuto had plenty of evil up his sleeve, but it occurred to Naruto that, in the end, most humans were helpless against poison of any sort. You'd have to have a demon fox to keep you out of harms way.

"Cereal, please." A moment later, Sasuke added, "I don't know what happened, but things like that can't be changed. No one can rewrite history, but people can keep it from happening again."

Suddenly, someone knocked on the door and Naruto went to answer it. He was genuinely surprised to see Sakura on the other side until he remembered the note and looked at the clock. Sighing, he let the pink-haired girl in and closed the door behind her. He watched the pink-haired girl with that bounce in her step and the shining eyes. Sakura was finally happy, doing what she was good at it with Lee there for constant support and plenty to do to keep herself occupied.

_We've all changed a lot,_ he thought to himself.

Sakura took her shoes off carefully right inside the apartment and then plodded into the kitchen in just her socks. Barefoot, Naruto followed her in and began rummaging in the fridge for some milk. Carefully, Sakura looked over Sasuke, checking on the state of his various injuries. He just sat still through it, knowing that with this one, there was no escape.

"You're doing pretty good, all things considered," she said, sitting down beside him.

He grinned and replied softly, "Thanks."

"Look, I also came by to ask if two had any crazy plans," the teen girl answered.

"Crazy plans?" Naruto asked as he handed out bowls filled with colorful cereal and milk.

Sasuke reached up to a cabinet by his head and pulled out spoon. "No, why?"

"Just asking, because it would be just like Naruto to go off by himself and do something reckless." Sakura smiled. "Or it used to be."

"Did you have any good ideas in mind?" Sasuke asked.

Naruto raised both hands in the air. "For once, I'm all for obeying the rules. I've done stupid stuff before and will do it again before long, but when it comes to this, all the anger in the world doesn't match the Snake Man's insanity!"

Sakura shook her head and ignored Naruto, as usual. "No, not really, but I keep thinking that we're sitting ducks! We have no idea of what will happen next or how. Only that something will happen."

"Which is precisely why I'm here," announced an all too familiar voice.

"Pervert!" Naruto screamed.

"Don't say that, Naruto."

"Why not? It's true!" the boy yelled back at his teacher.

Jiraiya jumped in through the window and leaned up against the kitchen counter. Looking about, he saw team seven, no longer as children, but as adults, ready for battle. No longer genin, not even Sasuke, they looked like they had transformed into adults, springing out of their cocoons with too much fervor. He still remembered them as kids, but after today, none of the children of fours years ago were still children.

New genin were being trained, of course, but they were still young, and if things got much worse, even they'd be doing A rank missions. Ah, the good old days. The pervert was reminiscing...

"Well, you know. It's not proper or polite. Anyway, I spoke to some of the people you fought along side fours years ago, and there will be a meeting tonight. Tsunade will be there, and all three of you should attend."

"What about?" Sakura inquired.

"Well, what it comes down to is that, even now, nearly four years after Orochimaru's attack, the village is still not truly back to full strength. We're getting there, but not quite yet. So, even though most of you are not yet jounin, you will probably all see the front lines.

"Orochimaru is coming. That is a fact. How prepared we are for him is another story all together." The old man with his white hair sighed. "A lot of ninja have been called back to the city so that we are ready, but they know how to work with their team mates. You know how to work with each other.

"So, tonight we will discuss strategies because the opposing side will be here tomorrow afternoon. Neji and Shikamaru have been looking over possible scenarios, and Ten-Ten has been very helpful by checking the state of our defenses with a fine tooth comb. As well, Gaara and his team have come as well."

"Gaara?" Sasuke asked.

"He's now the hokage of the Sand, and he is good. Really good. We've been allied with them for a while, and Naruto came to Gaara's rescue against Itachi's gang. Don't worry, those three are as loyal as they come."

Naruto smiled. "Temari and Shikamaru have become good friends, so Gaara has to visit often, or else the Temari goes crazy on him."

"Oh," Sasuke replied. "A lot has changed."

"We'll be there tonight," Naruto said with a nod. "I promise."

"All right," the pervert consented. "Here's another thing to consider. Itachi is after the demon fox, and he too is currently on the move."

"Is it just me or is everything bad going happen all at once?" Sakura asked.

Naruto blinked and grinned. "Don't worry, Sakura, it'll be okay!"

She punched the back of his head.

"What was that for?"

Sasuke laughed. "Big mouth."

And with that, they had breakfast. Neither Sasuke nor Naruto looked like love sick doves, yet. It helped because Sakura took over helping Sasuke more than even he needed and Naruto was arguing with his teacher about one could do with chakra. Normal conversation really.

Crash!

Three ninjas walked in through the now open doorway, having knocked the door into small splinters, and approached the small group. They wore headbands with the musical note on them and were white shirts with purple bow ties, the typical clothing of the average sound ninja under Orochimaru.

The group had already turned and taken defensive stances by then, but the three didn't seem interested in fighting. One of them stepped forward and stared directly at Jiraiya while the other two backed him up.

"This is Orochimaru's request for the prompt return of one his ninja, one Sasuke Uchiha. This is your only warning."

And with that, knives flew at the raven as well as the other three present in the kitchen that afternoon. Naruto and Sakura had on trouble dodging, and Jiraiya had his hair for protection. Only Sasuke watched the knife come at him helplessly, its point aimed straight at his chest.

I'm not sure where this is going yet in terms of Sasuke and Naruto. Maybe not anywhere. Maybe somewhere.


	8. Day 4 Part II

Tiny chapter, I know. Sorry about that.

Date 06.13.06

Day 4 Part II

Time stopped. Tick Tock.

Like a shadow, a man with long, black hair entered the kitchen through the open living room window. Like a menacing shadow, he stepped between Sasuke and the knife, grasped its handle and sent it right back at their attacker. With unmatched speed, he twisted around and looked at the boy sitting on the floor. Sharingan met Sharingan in a clash of power. If the two brothers could shoot lightning out of their eyes, they would've fried each other with a single glance.

The sound ninja barely had time to think before the knife landed in his thigh. Blood splattered, and Sakura gasped. Crimson drops fell to the floor, again as if in slow motion. The man who'd attacked them collapsed with a strangled cry, for the small kunai had gone all the way in. In Sakura's practical mind, she thought the bone had probably shattered during impact.

And then the world returned to normal.

Itachi was the first to speak. "Did Orochimaru succeed?"

"No," Sasuke replied evenly, glaring at his brother.

The man in the black and red cloak nodded. "Good."

"Why do you care?" Sasuke demanded.

Itachi looked at him for a moment and then seemed to acquiesce at least for the time being. "In the last year, we have had dealings with his ninja. What he does to people is not my problem, but he has been attacking us and ours as well. Whether intentionally or not, it will not be tolerated."

"What does it have to do with me?"

"Sasuke, weak as you are now, you still possess the potential for getting the most out of those eyes of yours. You know how to achieve that goal as well." Itachi paused for a moment. "You hesitate, but Orochimaru in your body will not. He will kill Naruto to get what he wants. So, it will become a problem for me if he succeeds."

"Funny, you don't usually explain yourself to me," Sasuke said with a shrug.

Itachi almost smiled. "You needed to know. I do not say this lightly, but know that if you allow Orochimaru to succeed, it will be him and not you who fights me."

"Like you care."

Itachi reached out in a movement too swift to see and grasped Sasuke's shoulders tightly, but not hard enough to hurt. He reached deeply into the boy and pulled at the curse, extracting it. Sasuke screamed in sheer pain, feeling as if his very insides were being torn out of him, inch by painful inch. Finally, he could stand it no longer, and the darkness claimed him.

Naruto watched in wonder as the cursed mark disappeared from Sasuke's shoulder completely. It faded into nothingness, after such a long time of being there. Itachi examined his handiwork for a moment before letting go of his brother's shoulders. The younger Uchiha collapsed onto the wooden floor.

"Interesting curse, I'll have to have a look at it later." Itachi turned to Naruto and said, "Keep him safe."

And with those words, he was gone, as mysterious as ever.

A bird chirped somewhere in the distance and the bright afternoon sun shone happily in through the open windows. Bits and pieces of Naruto's front door lay scattered about the living room. Behind him, on the wall by the stove, two knives were stuck deeply into the wall. Sakura's cereal lay on the floor, with milk oozing in all directions.

"I'll have to report this to Tsunade, of course," said the pervert and left.

Sakura looked at her wrist watch and mumbled something about being late to a meeting with the hokage. She checked Sasuke's pulse, verified that he was alive, and then sprinted through the open doorway. Naruto watched her leave with a small shrug.

"My house is turning into a disaster zone," he said quietly as he picked up Sasuke and carried him back into the bedroom. "And you have been out far too much in the last few days. Up with you!"

Sasuke groaned an opened his eyes. "Itachi?"

"Gone with the wind!" Naruto hopped onto the bed. "What a creep."

"He follows his own agenda."

"Yeah, he does. On the upside, he did cure you of Orochimaru's curse, so it can't be all bad."

Sasuke looked at his right shoulder uncertainly. "I wonder how he did that."

"I'm sure you'll have plenty of opportunities to ask him," Naruto commented. "We have about three hours before we have to be at the meeting."

Sasuke nodded and leaned up against Naruto, his eyes on the now slightly taller boy. Used to be they competed about that, but now, it hardly mattered anymore. Height a man did not make. Naruto ran his hands through Sasuke's hair, liking the way it felt; the raven was... well... purring.

They spent those sunny afternoon hours wrapped around each other, talking about the little things in life. Naruto did most of the talking, actually, and Sasuke just listened. He liked hearing Naruto's voice for some reason. He was starting to feel better, too, as the poison wore off but still not up to full strength.

Naruto provided him with a forehead protector and standard pouch of sharp dangerous ninja things before they left. Sasuke stumbled over to the mirror and shook his head. He'd forgotten what it felt like to be a fighter for Konoha, the village of the leaves.

"Come on," Naruto called. "We have a fight to win."

* * *

They went to the meeting late that evening and spent the better part of the night working out the details. Sasuke, who wasn't feeling well to begin with, fell asleep long before the end, but no one had the heart to blame him. Letting him rest, the others worked out the details of the next day or so. They knew that an attack would come and soon, and they planned around it. They just thought they'd get a night's sleep before hand.

When it was over, they started packing up to go home. Outside, the starts shone onto the sleeping village, casting pale shadows into the darkness. A cool breeze wandered the sleeping streets. Stalls closed for the night, shops with their lights turned down, pebbles on the street.

Shikamaru was about to step out into this nighttime world, the first to leave since he had Temari waiting at home for him, when the alarms went up. Loud sirens awoke the sleeping city, calling its citizens to arms.

"Guess now's a good time as any to test out our plan," said Neji.

Chouji and Ino nodded at once, and together with Shikamaru they vanished into the night. Neji and Ten-Ten followed, with Lee already two steps ahead of them. They could see the older ninja already perched on rooftops, executing their maneuvers to evacuate the civilians.

"We all know our roles," Sakura said quietly. "Let's do this."

Hinata, who had finally managed to grow out of fear and into a relatively stable human being, and her team mates nodded. "We're off."

Naruto awoke Sasuke, and both of them joined Sakura as they headed to the edge of the village, straight into the swarm of Sound soldiers. They could hear Kiba and his dog howling in the distance, and somehow this reassured Sakura. They were doing this together. Once they had competed at the Chunin exams. Now, they were fighting side by side to stop a common foe.

* * *

I think the battle will be the next couple of chapters. I don't really feel like putting it all in here. Anyway, that's all for this chapter. Hope you like it. 

vlissan – When it comes to writing long chapters, I find it easier to jot down all the stuff I want to have happen and then go back and add the details. MS Word's ability to save stuff comes in really handy.


	9. Battle

On a more personal note, thank you to everyone who reviewed. This is my longest running story yet, and it's nearly over. One more chapter to go.

Also, duly noted: Gaara is the Kazekage, as opposed to what I called him (Hokage) in the previous chapter. Gaara of the Desert is the leader of the Sand Village. Sorry about that. No disrespect to the red-haired demon.

Date: 06.13.06

In the Midst of Battle

Tsunade stood on top of the wall that surrounded Konoha and watched the approaching snake with disgust. She loved creatures of all shapes and sizes, but that snake was more demon than not, and Orochimaru had very little control over it. _That monster loves bloodshed_, the fifth hokage of the Leaf Village thought to herself. _Both of them do, in their own crazy way._

She could see Orochimaru atop the snake, his golden eyes glittering in the deepest night. She remembered him a small child, back when the Third was still their teacher and their days were filled with kinder, gentler things. It seemed so long ago now, so far away, and yet so close. Where had their childhood gone?

Beside Tsunade stood Jiraiya, and he was thinking that no pretty girls were around. In his eyes, the hokage wasn't pretty so much as majestic. She looked like a leader and acted like one. She had the grace and determination to be standing up here, at the head of her own people. She was the one facing trouble from a dear friend and worst enemy.

"You seem prepared for the worst, Tsunade," said the Snake man when he approached. "And all for one little boy?"

She shook her head, sadness etched into her youngish features. "Konoha takes care of its own."

"Does it really?" Orochimaru said with venom dripping off every word.

The hokage smiled as she called on her strength and summoned the slug-like creature that was her companion in life. Tonton, the little pig that was Tsunade's friend and apparently pet dog settled on the sidelines to watch and help, should her friend need it. Jiraiya followed suit, and before long, just outside of the walls of the magnificent village stood three animals grown giant and the three most powerful ninja of their time.

"Shall we begin?" Orochimaru asked.

Jiraiya nodded and began creating hand seals rapidly.

Tsunade whispered as she joined into this intricate dance of power, "For our future..."

* * *

While this was happening, down below groups of ninja attacked the village from seemingly all directions. It reminded Naruto of the Chunin exams, with the exception that everyone was prepared this time. The evacuation had gone off as smoothly as ever, and the streets were empty save for the fighters. 

"You know your task," Sakura said to Naruto.

The blonde nodded. "Yeah, I do. Be careful out there, okay?"

Sakura grinned. "I'm a medic, after all. It's my job."

She left in search of anyone who was hurt, leaving Naruto and Sasuke to fight the hoards of invaders by themselves. It was up to Naruto, of course, to keep Sasuke safe while they were at it. Thankfully for them both, Sasuke was feeling a great deal better and they weren't alone in their task.

"Look," Sasuke said, stopping in the middle of the fight.

It was raining people. Naruto barely dodged the sword of an enemy as he created clones of himself to help them fight. Still, he couldn't help but look up at the signs of humans falling from the sky. Whoever they were, they landed safely on roofs and streets and they wore enemy colors.

"Watch out!" Naruto yelled as Sasuke ducked under the sword of a particularly nasty enemy.

Kicking the man square in the chest, Sasuke grinned. In moments, they met up with the ninja from the sky and quickly learned a very painful lesson. As far as Naruto could tell, they were impossible to kill. Nothing seemed to hurt any of these guys, absolutely nothing. Fighting them was like fighting a brink wall!

Four rounds of knives later, Sasuke took a step back and tried to catch his breath. "Naruto!"

"Still alive," his friend yelled as he grabbed Sasuke's hand and pulled them both out of harm's way.

Both rolled underneath the oncoming needles. Rising, the two roof hopped a few times before find a relatively safe hiding place in between two houses. They looked at each other, red eyes to blue ones, and shook their heads.

"What are those monsters?" Naruto asked.

"Soldiers, enhanced by Kabuto. They are strong, but they only last a few days after the infusion. A bug in the design as he calls it."

"Shit!" Naruto whispered. "Any weaknesses?"

"Not really, no. Their skin is as tough as steel."

"Okay, plan two, can we maybe trap them somehow?" Naruto wondered.

Again needles flew their way and the two ran. Jumping a fence, they climbed up onto the top floor of the school and then headed towards the wall. Shikamaru caught up to them right about then and matched their rhythms.

"They can be killed. The backs of their necks are about the only spot that's vulnerable. Hinata saw it. Go for their necks, okay?"

"Are you guys all right?"

"Kiba's down for the moment, but we're still hanging in there. Sasuke, find Tsunade."

"What for?"

Shikamaru shrugged. "She and Jiraiya are fighting Orochimaru. That's all I know. Good luck you two. Don't die."

"Thanks!"

"How troublesome!"

He turned left and vanished into the scenery again, like other good ninja. The two boys looked at each other and knew that here their lives took different paths.

Naruto shrugged in his way and said, "See you in the morning!"

"See ya," Sasuke called as he headed for the Wall.

Naruto retaliated against the first of the enhanced monstrosities with all of his might, all of his anger. His chakra attack, called the Rasengan, sent the first enemy he met spinning into a pond. What Naruto learned well was how to control his own chakra, and he could, with the help of a clone, create a ball of pure energy that turned and twisted on the inside. Its own rotation usually hurt the enemy worse than the chakra itself.

Several more came at him. He and his clones disposed of them, as well. Once he knew how to kill the enemy, an angry Naruto was pretty much unstoppable. Worse, the demon fox stirred within, whispering good ideas for further killing. Someday, one really wondered what it all meant.

He met up with Neji before too long.

"Where's Sasuke?" Ten-Ten asked.

Naruto sighed. "Tsunade wanted him, apparently. They are over there, but with this many ninja, I can't even get close!"

"Want a little help?" Lee asked.

Neji seemed to think. "The three of us couldn't get you in there if we laid our lives down. However, we can create a distraction for a little while. The rest is your call, Naruto."

"Any help is still help."

Ten-Ten nodded. "All right. You'll know when we're ready."

Naruto watched as the three ninjas began their attack. Neji's eyes told him where the enemy was and he attacked mercilessly. Ten-Ten with her weapons skills pummeled anyone who get in her way with knifes and other strange weapons. Lee, being Lee, got up close and did as much damage as a small hurricane.

They moved as one, aware of each other and able to coordinate. Little, if anything, got past their wall. Changing course, the three ran South, with some of the enemy following behind. That gave Naruto an opening, and he took it. Stealthily he snuck deep into enemy ridden territory and up to the wall that had protected Konoha for so long.

Sneaking up onto the wall proved more difficult, but from there he was able to see the gruesome battle unfolding below, just on the other side. Gasping when he saw Kabuto with an unconscious Sasuke in his arms, Naruto was still awed by the sheer power of the three legendary ninja. The normally green, grassy field was littered with bodies from both sides of the battle.

The ninja had died trying to protect their leaders, and now it was too late to make amends. Here in the night, Naruto understood why a memorial stood for all those lost in battle. Otherwise, too many tombstones would litter the village, for death was a swift mistress.

Somewhere ahead, he heard Tsunade's voice, coming between gasps. "He's strong!"

"And full of himself," Jiraiya yelled back.

Naruto cheered for a moment before making his way slowly downwards onto the ground below. Avoiding the ANBU from both sides, who were too busy with each other anyway, he snuck up to Kabuto from behind. Knife in hand, he stabbed the man straight in the back while kicking at the backs of his knees.

The medic went down with a thud.

Carefully, Naruto pulled his friend a few feet away from the enraged silver-haired man with his unreadable glasses and then stood between Kabuto and the slowly awakening Sasuke.

"Guess it's you and me," Kabuto said quietly.

Naruto still remembered previous battles, and he knew that the medic would use his own body to his advantage. Deep inside, the fox stirred sleepily and opened an eye. _Is it time to play?_ It asked. Naruto smiled and nodded. _Almost time._

Kabuto lunged at him first, a knife in each hand. Naruto dodged the knives with side step and let his hands come down in the middle of the medic's back, right where he'd hit moment earlier. Kabuto retaliated and managed to stick two his kunai into Naruto before the boy could jump back, out of reach.

They circled each other, bleeding a little, until Naruto growled and attacked. The force in the impact upon collision sent them both rolling. Both stood up and jumped back, away from each other. Kabuto's hands began to glow as he darted past his opponent. Though he carried no knives, Naruto still felt like someone had just sliced through muscle.

"I paralyzed your friend, you know. Sasuke won't be coming to your rescue!"

"You bastard!" Naruto grew angry, and it spread.

Kabuto laughed. "You know, what your precious friend hasn't told you is that he was raped. Orochimaru couldn't wait to get his hands on your precious little Sasuke. And he liked it!"

"Monster!"

"It's true. Ask the brat over there! He moaned so loudly it woke half the prisoners."

Naruto blinked. "You are going to pay for saying that..."

Anger exploded like fireworks. The fox inside growled. _My turn._

And then he was on all fours, covered in chakra the color of blood and oranges. Naruto lunged at Kabuto without a thought and clawed hands ripped through clothes, through skin. Kabuto pulled away, but the fox wouldn't let him go. It went after him with determination usually seen only in Naruto. It was just that good!

They fought in bursts, and Naruto left more and more marks on Kabuto's pale skin. The fox's chakra easily pushed Kabuto's attacks, and with two minds working as one, it was able to attack and defend almost at the same time. The three legendary ninja stopped to take a good look.

"Naruto's angry," Jiraiya commented.

"I think Kabuto just mentioned what I did to Sasuke while he was with me," Orochimaru guessed.

"Let me guess, you're a pervert, too?" Tsunade sighed. "How did I ever survive you two?"

"I don't know? How did you?" Orochimaru asked.

The Fifth hokage of the village of the leaves knocked Orochimaru over with a punch and then landed on top of him. "You dare ask that? Let me tell you something-" Punch "-you moron." Punch. "After you left-" Kick "-I was sad for weeks on end." Kick. "My life. You screwed up-" Kick "-my life, too!"

Orochimaru looked up at the irate woman and thought, _How do some people fall in love? She's a vulture!_

They resumed trying to obliterate each other. Meanwhile, the fox finally stopped now that Kabuto wasn't going anywhere. It looked at the fallen man and licked blood off his forehead. Then it looked at Sasuke and told Naruto, _I like your choice. That one smells good. _

Naruto replied softly, "At least we agree on something."

As the fox subsided and returned to sleeping peacefully within, Naruto felt suddenly very tired, almost as if he'd run a marathon for weeks on end. Sitting down on the dewy grass, he closed his and eyes and waited for the world to stop spinning. Kabuto groaned, but a peak at the wounds told Naruto that the medic wouldn't be getting up any time soon.

He turned and looked at his raven-haired friend, then crawled over to the boy. Around them, a war raged on between two villages. Screams echoed across the field and the sound of metal hitting metal. Naruto could barely hear any of that however. It didn't bother him that he was bleeding in too many places to count and that everything hurt. He lay down next to Sasuke, wrapped an arm around the boy, and closed his eyes.

* * *

"_Where's that pet of yours, Sasuke?" Kabuto asked. _

_The raven blinked a few times, feeling the stresses of the night building up. He was tired, more so than he should've been, and he felt his knees starting to shake. Not even in fear so much as sheer exhaustion. Taking a deep breath, he looked at Kabuto and shook his head._

"_Shut up," he said._

_Kabuto, the medic from hell, laughed. "Let's play."_

_From atop her slug, Tsunade yelled. "Be careful, Sasuke. Remember, Naruto wants you alive."_

_The two of them fought. Sasuke had his Sharingan and with it, he could and did copy plenty of Kabuto's moves. Still, the medic was faster, and they were locked in a terrible and painful dance. _

_Sasuke dodged one of the oncoming kunai only to find another lodged deeply into his back. He yelped and twisted, feeling his body go numb. Slowly, he fell to the ground, suddenly understanding why his body felt like lead. _

"_Naruto?" His voice was soft a whisper._

_Kabuto smiled. "So you leave Orochimaru and find another sex toy?"_

"_Kabuto, are you jealous?"_

"_No," the medic replied._

"_It hurt," Sasuke said quietly. "And he didn't stop. Never."_

_Kabuto blinked. "It's what you wanted?"_

"_Tell me this then," Sasuke said, feeling his life begin to fade. "How does the desire to avenge my family translate into wanting rape from a madman?"_

"_Power tends to do that."_

"_Then take this as advice. Don't let it happen to you. It breaks you and it breaks people around you. Cold shell or not, you're still human, Kabuto. You still have a heart."_

_And with that, Sasuke's eyes closed. Kabuto, of course, made sure that Sasuke wasn't dead, but as he looked at the boy, he wondered what it all meant. _

"_Human? Am I still human, really?"_

_

* * *

_The victors still stood by the light of dawn. Tsunade was kneeling beside Sasuke and Naruto, making sure both were still breathing. Jiraiya was taking stock of the situation. So far, it looked like the majority of the leaf ninja were alive and doing pretty well. Not too many names to add to the memorial.

"We used to be friends," Jiraiya said softly.

"Used to be."

* * *

And that finishes the battle. Next chapter is the sappy not-quite-ending. 


	10. Unspoken

I have nothing to say other than, don't kill me. Please. I have a husband and two small kitties to look after.

Date 06.15.06

Unspoken

Awakening in a strange, unfamiliar bed, Naruto couldn't help but feel a little afraid. Moments later, though, Sakura walked in through the open door and smiled at him ever so sadly. She took a seat in a chair beside his bed, still clutching a white flower in her lap. Pale hair fell into her eyes, and her eyes were read, puffy. She looked tired and like she'd been crying for a while.

Sniffing, she said, "Good morning, Naruto."

"Morning Sakura-chan!" Naruto grinned.

He knew by then that he was in a hospital room because he could almost taste the disinfectant. The sheets he was under were white and even the curtains were bleakly white. He hated coming here, even if he was all beat up because it meant staying still and Naruto didn't do so well with not moving.

"What's wrong Sakura?" he asked finally.

She bit her lip and said, "We won."

"Then why are you so sad?"

"A lot of good people didn't make it through," she replied. "There will be a funeral for them tomorrow at the memorial."

"What about Sasuke?"

Sakura gave him a wan smile. "Sasuke's sleeping right now. He's next door, but don't be disturbing him until he wakes up, okay?"

"And Lee?"

Sakura sighed. "Broken wrist and leg, but he'll be up again in no time."

Naruto blinked a few times. "Who are the tears for, then?"

"Kiba is still in critical condition, as is Shikamaru. Temari has been at his side the whole time. We lost a number of jounin, including several ANBU. Kakashi's gone missing since the battle."

"He'll be fine. Kakashi's been in worse and survived."

"There was so much... Crying, pain... I... " Sakura shook her head. "I don't want that to happen ever again!"

Naruto blinked and said something truly profound for a change. "Konoha and all the other villages exist because of the ninja. We are trained to fight, not to live peaceful lives. We are taught to risk our necks in battle, and in that, we live for that rush of adrenaline. I don't think any of us would know peace if it came and bit us in the rear."

Sakura laughed. "And you want to be Hokage?"

"Because, if I am Hokage, then I can fight the battle and let those who can live the quiet life do so without being disturbed. That's what it is about. Sure, we're all addicts of the adrenaline rush, but we can use that to keep everyone else safe and sound."

"Through war?"

Naruto laughed. "Through politics, but also through willingness to go as far as need be for Konoha. Just like Gaara has walked on charcoals and broken glass to keep the Sand Village safe and independent."

"Not literally..."

"No, but in many ways his sacrifice has been worse than any broken glass you can give him."

Sakura smiled. "You're being wise today."

"Then I better shut up." He grinned again.

"Well, Sasuke should be up soon."

Naruto nodded and bit his lip. "Sakura..."

"Yeah?"

"Live the kind of life you want to live. You are always going to be one of the elite. You are already a Jounin in your ability and in your determination. But, even with that, if it's peace you want, then walk that road."

"I'd be called a girl if I did."

"Would you rather have that happen or would you rather live the rest of your life in that place they took Sasuke?"

"Are you implying I'll go crazy?"

Naruto shook his head. "I'm saying that fighting will get to you if you let it. If you think you're strong enough to live with that, then I will never say another word."

"And if not?"

"Take the path you want to take. Live, Sakura. For yourself and for those you care about."

Sakura nodded and left the room. The white flower still lay on the chair, and Naruto looked at for a long time before slipping off the bed. Slowly, because he still hurt, the blonde made his way to the room next door. He opened the door and slipped inside, grasping onto a bed for balance.

Sasuke lay on the bed by the window, and a cool breeze was stirring the soft curtains. The raven looked peaceful when he was asleep like this. Naruto took a seat in a chair beside his bed and grasped the other boy's hand.

"You'd better wake up," he said to the sleeper.

And looking in, Sakura cried even harder.

Tsunade walked over and rested a hand on the girl's shoulder. "Sasuke will wake up, Sakura. The poison is gone from his system, and he is just resting."

"What about the..."

"We'll see what happens when he wakes up again, but I have a hunch that nothing Kabuto makes will keep him down for long."

Sakura sighed. "Naruto has so much hope."

"He is going to need it if he wants to be the Sixth Hokage."

"Not like you'll ever let him."

Tsunade laughed. "You'd be surprised."

"Really?"

"He's got all the right stuff," Tsunade said softly. "I think the biggest obstacle in his life is going to be letting go of Sasuke."

"Letting go?"

"Yeah. Sasuke is human. He will want freedom to live his life, and Naruto is part fox. Possessive little creatures."

"They'll figure it out, I'm sure..."

Tsunade nodded. "They will."

Unknowing, Naruto sat just feet away from the speakers and watched his best friend sleep. Slowly, though, like a flower, Sasuke began to awaken to the light of another day.

The End.

* * *

Don't murder me please. The story is finished. The question "What would happen if Sasuke came back" has been answered. I still feel like there's a lot more to be said for all these characters. All of them seem like they have a future ahead of them that's both happy and sad. 

I'm feeling proud as this is the first multi-chapter story I've managed to see to completion.

Outtakes:

Sasuke: I'm dying!  
Kabuto: Sorry, I think I punctured something vital.  
Sasuke: Moron!  
Author: Again? Stop killing Sasuke please. Take 18!

Naruto: Sasuke, are you going to wake up.  
Sasuke: SNEEZE!  
Naruto: Makes for a bad ending.

Naruto: Is that the whole truth Sasuke?  
Sasuke: No, but my throat's sore. I'm not used to talking a lot.  
Naruto: Why?  
Sasuke: 'Cause I always act the silent prick!  
Naruto: Hurt the author?  
Sasuke: Nah, not her fault.

Naruto: My DOOR!  
Sasuke: Looks good. Can I get up now?  
Author: No, keep sitting. You're supposed to be out of it.  
Naruto: MY DOOR!

Temari: Come here!  
Shikamaru: Don't kill me. I didn't do it!  
Temari: Do What?  
Shikamaru: How troublesome? Cries...

Orochimaru: It's me versus you two.  
Tsunade: Rock Paper Scissors?  
Jiraiya: Trivia?  
Kabuto: Wheel of Fortune?  
Author: Shut up and start fighting!

Sasuke: I'm not an invalid. I can take a bath fine, thank you.  
Naruto: So what? The script says so.  
Sasuke: I love you, Naruto.  
Naruto: You what! Ahhh...

Ten-Ten: Where'd my scrolls go?  
Author: I saw Gaara with them.  
Gaara: Ooh, fun play things.  
Ten-Ten: Let go sand boy... Growl

Gaara: Temari, just take him and let's go home.  
Temari: Okay. Stuffs Shikamaru into a box.

Kabuto: Shit...

Author: It's over now. Go home. Forget this ever happened.  
Everyone else: Okay!


End file.
